For most countries, once a document has been notarised it will require a apostille.
We offer two services for getting this done – an Express Service, and a Standard Service.
We charge a fixed fee for both services, and handle the process discretely and efficiently. With experience of dealing with the Legalisation Office at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, we can advise you at the outset if your document can be apostilled, flag up any potential issues and suggest ways to reduce any potential fees.
What is an Apostille?
The Apostille is a stamped certificate affixed to UK issued documents by The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (commonly referred to as the FCDO). The FCDO will check the document has been issued by a UK Notary Public/official and verify whether the signature, stamp or seal is genuine.
The word is derived from the French word “Apostille” meaning “a marginal note” – itself derived from the Latin post (“after”) + illa (“these”) + verba (“words”). The term began to refer to the authentication of documents following the introduction of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents in 1961. Signatory countries to the convention agreed to recognise public documents issued in other signatory countries if they are authenticated by the attachment of an internationally recognised form of authentication known as the “apostille”.
The Apostille is required for use in most countries worldwide. Typically, Commonwealth countries do not require the Apostille on documents notarised in the UK, however on occasions it is still asked for. If a country has not signed up to the Hague Apostille Convention, a document must be first apostilled and then legalised by the UK consulate of that country.